What do Caster Semenya, Wayde van Niekerk, Elroy Gelant, Luvo Manyonga, Lindsay Hanekom, Akani Simbine, and Rushwahl Samaai all have in common? Well, they are all Varsity Athletics stars. In fact, call them legends, and now they are about to compete at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The track and field events begins on Friday and it’s every athlete’s ultimate dream to compete at the Olympics. Ask Atlanta 1996 800m silver medalist, Hezekiel Sepeng. It’s been 20 years since that historic moment when South Africa won its first track and field medal at the Olympics. But Sepeng still talks about that moment as if it happened yesterday. That just goes to show how special it is to be a part of an Olympic experience. And after the Rio Games all these Varsity Athletics athletes will tell tales of their Olympic experience for generations to come.
Apart from Semenya, all the other Varsity Athletics athletes will be competing at the Olympic Games for the very first time and it’s an indescribable feeling for them – a feeling that they won’t be able to describe. Semenya will be known as a double Olympian from now on and that is such an incredible feat too. Hopefully she will cap her Olympic experience with another medal, and she’ll be hoping that this time it’s a gold one after the London Games in England in 2012, when Semenya won a silver medal.
The nerves have already started to kick in for the athletes, who will be making their debut at the Games as the track and field event edges closer and closer. They have been taking selfies, touring the city and putting in the extra hours in training to make sure that they are 100% fit and ready for their respective events. Most of them are already feeling the butterflies in their stomachs and that’s because this week the Olympic focus will shift to the track and field events.
Athletics is a popular sport in the Olympics and the 70 000 capacity stadium will be absolutely packed come Friday. Olympic Games favourite Usain Bolt, who was not allowed to attend the Opening Ceremony for security reasons, and has body guards to guard him 24/7 here in Rio, will light up the Games when he starts competing. The likes of Hanekom and Simbine will tell their grandchildren that they ran at the same Olympics, on the same track as Bolt. It is a momentous occasion. One of the aspects of the Games that makes it so special, regardless of a podium finish.
The moment that Semenya and co, have been waiting for has finally arrived. I can only imagine what was going through the minds of our athletes as they boarded that long flight to Brazil. Can they pull it off? Will they hold their own against the world’s best? Could this be their year? Are they ready for this big moment?
The 11-hour flight to Rio certainly provided them time to think about all these things and mentally play out their races. But it isn’t all just in their heads now – they have touched down in South America and reality has kicked in. Dreams, memories and friendships will be made. The athletes have sacrificed a lot just to be in Rio and all their hard work will come down to the track and field events this week. But one thing is for sure, the Varsity Athletics athletes have earned their Olympian status in 2016. It’s an achievement on its own. Whatever happens the next over the next 10 days – they have done SA proud.
By Charles Baloyi – Daily Sun and Sunday Sun – reporting from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
